BILL NUMBER: S2215
SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the election law, in relation to directing the Queens
county board of elections to provide language assistance in Bengali,
Punjabi and Hindi
 
PURPOSE:
This bill directs the Queens county board of elections to provide writ-
ten language assistance in Bengali, Punjabi, and Hindi in order to
comply with the Language Assistance Provisions of Section 203 of the
federal voting rights act of 1965.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
This bill directs the Queens county board of elections to provide writ-
ten language assistance in Bengali, Punjabi, and flinch in order to
comply with the Language Assistance Provisions of Section 203 of the
federal voting rights act of 1965. The election law is amended by
adding a new section 3-508 which directs the Queens county board of
elections to provide written language assistance in Bengali, Punjabi,
and Hindi. Since Asian-Indians in Queens County are newly covered under
the Language Assistance Provisions of See. 203 of the Federal Voting
Rights Act and the three most spoken languages among individuals of
Asian-Indian origin are Bengali, Hindi and Punjabi, the Board of
Elections should provide written material in those languages. This shall
include but not be limited to ballots, signs, voter mailings, employee
and volunteer training materiel and information on such board's website.
The board is also require to produce and distribute throughout the
district a booklet which includes a voter registration form in English
along with, in Bengali, Punjabi, and Hindi, instructions for registering
to vote, instructions for obtaining an absentee ballot, and a section
with general voter information including frequently asked questions. The
board may include other languages in the booklet and website as well.
This act shall take effect on the 120th day after it shall have become
law.
Effective immediately, the addition amendment or repeal of any rules or
regulations for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
authorized to be made on or before such date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Since Asian-Indians in Queens County are newly covered under the
Language Assistance Provisions of Sec. 203 of the federal, Voting Rights
Act, this act will add the three most spoken Asian- Indian languages to
the Queens County ballot. The data for Queens County indicates Bengali
(also known as Bangle), Punjabi and Hindi speakers, in that order, as
the prevalence of those with limited English proficiency (LEP) in Queens
County.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: S1215 Comrie/ A642 Weprin
S3441- 2022- same as Weprin
S 3869 COMRIE Same as A 5506 Weprin (MS)
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Minimal to State.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the 120th day after it shall have become
law. Effective immediately, the addition amendment or repeal of any
rules or regulations for the implementation of this act on its effective
date are authorized to be made on or before such date.